Out of the Shadows
by Sylvie Orp
Summary: Happy New Year. Horwood, a known racketeer, is stirring. Cowley sends his boys off to find him before mayhem breaks out. Bodie's enquiries lead him down a very dark road


Cowley had sent half a dozen of his agents scurrying off to find Horwood, a known gun dealer, racketeer and general heavy. It was rumoured that he was recruiting for a job – mission unknown. But with Horwood, it was bound to result in loss of life and a large reward for him. Jax had come back with some hard and worrying facts, and so Cowley sent his boys off again in a more focussed search.

Bodie had ended up in a backstreet Southwark pub and was talking to an ex-con, Bentley, who was useful to the police, given the right financial incentives. Bodie was deep in conversation when he got a tap on the shoulder. It was Denman, one of CI5's older agents.

"Need to see a man about a dog. Don't go away," Bodie said to Bentley.

Since he'd had already handed over a hundred quid, with a chance of more, the nark wasn't prepared to go anywhere and he sipped his beer contentedly. It was proving a lucrative night. He'd already been paid handsomely for the same information from someone else – who'd also been cagey about who he was working for. It didn't matter to Bentley. They could be working for Santa Claus for all he was bothered. He chuckled to himself. This was easier money – and legal, too – than robbing a bank.

"What's up?" Bodie asked his colleague in the quiet of the hallway. He was trying to keep his temper in check. It must be important if an agent interrupted a meet.

"Doyle's missed his last contact with us. Cowley wants to know if you've heard from him today."

Bodie went cold and shook his head.

"When did you last see him?"

"Last night. He left mine about 11."

"And hasn't been seen or heard of since," Denman murmured quietly. He looked worried.

"What was his assignment?"

"We were hoping you could tell us, Bodie. He's working on the Horwood case, right?"

Bodie nodded.

"Did he say who he was talking to next?"

Bodie racked his brains as he went over the last conversation he'd had with his partner. "He doesn't know as many gun runners as we do, but he does know the heavy boys around here. He'd be checking the toms and pimps, hoping they'd take him to higher ground."

"Well he's gone underground now. Probably maintaining radio silence, but let me or Cowley know if he surfaces."

Denman left quickly before Bodie could say anything more. He returned to his table deep in thought.

"Bad news?" Bentley asked.

"Yeah, my granny died this morning."

Bentley didn't believe him for a moment, but wasn't going to question it. Two things he'd learnt in the nick are that you don't ask questions, and you keep your head down. Bodie sighed and tried to turn his mind back to the main subject. They talked for a while longer and Bentley decided to play his trump card – for a hefty 'bung'.

"It'd better be worth it. That's the last of it," Bodie said moodily, handing over the cash, his mind still on Doyle. He showed Bentley his empty wallet as proof.

The man pocketed the money and smiled as he got up. He returned a few minutes later with a couple of blokes in tow. Bodie got up to greet them, then his life turned to stone. Bentley didn't understand the look of shock and horror on Bodie's face, but his companions did.

"Lennox," Bodie growled when he'd got over the initial fright.

Lennox held out his hand, but Bodie didn't take it. The goon at his side was also known – Brown. They were two of Bodie's mercenary pals from the old days.

"Glad you remember me, Bodie old son," Lennox smirked.

Lennox had seen the shock on Bodie's face, though he'd closed down a second later. Lennox was a sadist. Bodie had seen some of his 'handiwork'. He'd seen one guy killed at Lennox' hands, and another victim had committed suicide. And these were the hard boys; the blokes who could take it as well as hand it out. But Lennox could make them bleed.

"Are you wanting in?" Brown asked. Bodie noticed him flinch as Lennox kicked him under the table. Clearly Lennox didn't want to show his hand yet.

"I believe that Horwood's recruiting, so I'm in." Bodie didn't know any such thing, but was taking a very risky shot in the dark.

"Can you still take it?" Lennox asked, grinning broadly.

Bodie wouldn't have liked to take Lennox on, even without Brown helping out, but wasn't going to lose face – or lose a possible lead either. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, we'll just have to see the man, won't we?"

This didn't tell Bodie much but he'd have to ride along for the moment, and hope that he could get out later with his skin in tact. Bodie drank the dregs of his beer slowly, trying to look cool. Lennox wasn't fooled.

They agreed to meet up again next night. Bodie was very circumspect returning to his flat that night and reporting in to Cowley on the phone. There had been no word from Doyle, and Bodie would avoid going to HQ next morning in case Lennox was watching the place. Bodie didn't know how much Lennox knew about his after life – life after Africa.

Bodie met up as arranged and Lennox and Brown took Bodie off into the night to meet 'the man'. Bodie sensed a trap but there was little he could do. He had been relieved to see that Denman was in the pub as they left for their tryst. It seemed that Cowley was getting him to watch his back since Doyle was still listed as 'missing'. It was one small grain of comfort. The other grain of comfort was a very discreet homing device he'd fitted to his shoe. It was too dangerous to wire himself for sound. Brown drove them around for a while but Bodie knew that they were going round in circles. It wasn't a good sign. Maybe they were killing time before their meeting; maybe something else entirely. Eventually they pulled up at a wood yard. The pair got out, Bodie having no choice but to do the same. He felt very vulnerable, despite the small handgun in his pocket. That was only good for close work in better light.

"What is it you do these days, Bodie?" Lennox asked.

Bodie wondered why he hadn't asked it before. The question was put very casually.

"Security guard. About all I'm good for. Lost the knack," he explained, holding out a shaking hand. He didn't like demeaning himself in front of a man like Lennox, but he felt it may appeal to his sadistic nature.

Lennox shook his head in mock pity, then that wolfish grin returned to his face. Bodie's blood turned to ice. "Are you sure about that, cur?"

A blade was in Lennox' hand before Bodie could blink. Lennox' stance had gone from relaxed to tense in a moment. Bodie looked across at Brown. He too was on guard, armed and looked menacing.

"What the hell is all this?" Bodie hedged, still playing the part of confused innocent.

"Ask your partner. He's around here somewhere."

Bodie went cold. If Doyle had been in Lennox' hands … Was that how Lennox knew about CI5? Bodie tried to block off images of Africa. But it did mean that Lennox knew exactly who he was; had known it from the start and had been playing with him. Just the kind of thing Lennox enjoyed doing.

Bodie slipped his hand into his pocket, but Lennox had noticed even in the darkness of the yard and sent his dagger hurtling with deadly accuracy and force towards his prey. Bodie ducked quickly but wasn't fast enough. No-one could throw a knife like Lennox. The blade buried itself in his biceps. Bodie yelled in pain. His hand had fastened on his gun but he could no longer feel his fingers as fire shot down his arm and the weapon clattered to the floor. He moved away from the car as he wrenched the knife from his arm, but Lennox and Brown followed him slowly wondering where he was going. Bodie was wondering the same thing. He just knew that he had to keep moving somehow. Lennox and Brown were grinning like a pride of lions and greatly enjoying themselves. Their eyes never left their prey, moving as he moved. Suddenly a shot was fired, then another a moment later. Small calibre, Bodie noted automatically, and very close by. He ducked instinctively as Brown and Lennox dropped to the floor, not moving any further. Bodie looked confusedly at the two bodies lying at his feet, prepared to dash behind the car in case a third shot was for him, but the car was dangerously too far away now. He crouched in the darkness, totally exposed. He counted off the seconds, but by '5' he was still there and still alive. He stared into the deep blackness of the wood yard. A figure eventually staggered towards him. It was Doyle.

"Dear God, Ray, are you all right?"

Concern for his friend overrode concern for himself. He ran towards his partner, very aware of what Lenox was – had been - capable of. Bodie caught him before he collapsed, and eased him to the floor. He saw blood in the glare of the car headlight.

"Thought you were going to stay there all night," Doyle gasped. He pushed Bodie's small pistol back into his friend's hand. "I think that's yours."

Bodie pocketed the gun distractedly as he tore at Doyle's jacket looking for wounds.

"'ere, be gentle with me, sailor," Doyle protested, trying to lighten the mood, pushing his friend away with what little strength he had left. He was confused at Bodie's anxiety.

Then they heard a car pull up, brakes screaming, tyres protesting. Instinctively the agents flattened themselves to the floor, trying to be invisible or dead. All they could see in the dark were legs pouring out of the car.

"Bodie?!" someone barked – it sounded very much like Cowley.

The agents looked at one another, each holding the same question in their eyes. Cowley nearly fell over them and someone produced a torch.

"Laying down on the job, eh?" Cowley quipped, trying to hide his relief.

"Get it where you can, sir," Bodie retorted scrambling to his feet, his clothes caked in mud, and trying to keep hold of his pride.

"We thought you might need a bit of back up, Bodie. Your tracker was sounding loud and clear," Denman explained, "then, when we heard shots, we thought we'd better join the party." Denman was helping Doyle to his feet as he spoke.

"You all right, laddie?"

Doyle rubbed the back of his head. "Someone led me out here, sir, then coshed me."

"You're bleeding," Bodie pointed out, still anxious.

"Yeah, I think I fell on some broken glass." He examined his bloody hand.

Bodie let out a sigh of relief that that was all it was.

Doyle looked more carefully at his partner in the light of Cowley's car. "You're bleeding too."

"It seems to be catching." Bodie was beginning to feel very light headed and he still couldn't feel his fingers.

Cowley ignored the exchange as his attention was drawn to the bodies in the yard. "Who's this?" he asked, nudging the nearest corpse with his shoe.

Bodie looked down at them before saying, "Don't know, sir. I've never seen them before."


End file.
